Art Bell, the radio icon that joined the SiriusXM line-up on September 16th is leaving the air after just a month and a half. While passionate satellite radio fans may not want to hear it, his reasons for leaving boiled down to three main things:

SiriusXM's web player is notoriously unreliable, causing a loss of subscribers and a degraded listening experience for those who remain listening online.

For a "caller driven" show, the caller pool for art's show is just too small.

International listeners have no legitimate way to hear the show.

This is not the first time that we have heard issues relating to the Internet platform offered up by SiriusXM. There have been a host of issues from the functionality to being booted off, to having longer shows reset from the beginning after an hour and a half, making it almost impossible to listen to a 2 hour show on demand.

When signed by SiriusXM, Bell had only glowing things to say:

"SiriusXM is the perfect fit for me and my new show Art Bell's Dark Matter," said Art Bell. "Though invisible, dark matter accounts for gravitational forces observed in the universe—expect these forces to be at work in the uncensored, unrestricted creative arena of satellite radio, a medium with truly extraterrestrial reach."

It would appear that after just a short period of time, second thoughts emerged.

The departure of Bell, as unfortunate as it is, should be a signal to SiriusXM. The company has a compelling product, great content, and great potential, but in some ways has lost the edge that it once had. The frustrations of Bell can be heard on other channels as well. Opie & Anthony, Howard Stern, Jay Thomas, and others have all at times expressed a great deal of frustration. In some ways, the complaints of on air personalities ring back to the old FM days of terrestrial radio, a path that many consumers and on air personalities could not wait to get away from.

Bell is a radio icon, and will continue his show on the web. It is unfortunate that SiriusXM could not match up to his needs. Consumers can only hope that SiriusXM takes this issue seriously. There are indeed issues with the Internet platform as well as sound quality. Yes, Bell was probably expecting too many callers too quickly and did not give his show time to develop an audience from the pool of those willing to pay for radio, but Bell's issues should not and can not be ignored.

From an investors perspective, there are not really any silver linings here. No, the departure of bell will not send the equity crashing, but the implications are not good either. If a personality such as Bell can not draw an audience with him, what does it say about other content? If a personality like Bell has a solution on the web that meets his needs better, what does that say about getting more talent to come to satellite and stay?

Whether we as investors like it or not, the sex appeal of satellite radio is not what it used to be. Satellite radio seems to have lost the leading edge. No, SiriusXM is not going to fail, but the cache is not what it once was. The satellite empire is not crumbling, but it is at a point where it may need to "re-invent" itself.

There will be a day when Stern retires. There may be a day when Opie & Anthony have had enough. As each year passes it seems that SiriusXM is becoming more like the FM radio we all wanted to tear apart. Yes, SiriusXM is better, but the options for listeners are increasing and SiriusXM needs to pay attention sooner rather than later. The company has done so many wonderful things in getting to where it is. It may be time to up the ante again.

175 Responses to “Art Bell Leaves SiriusXM”

I can’t blame SiriusXM for this disagreement.Art wants to stream his show for free online and I don’t think that is calculated into SiriusXM’s business model. Those satellites don’t come cheap! I do hope Art finds his way back on the air if he really wants to that is.

Seriously, folks. If you want to enjoy satellite radio, you need to buy a receiver. It’s just that simple. Streaming, in general, is always second best. Even under ideal conditions, which 95% of you aren’t even close.

Try streaming the NFL *Game of the Week* they always offer online. It looks like crap, and stutters constantly. You’ll give up and start watching it on TV in frustration.

The only way you’re ever going to hear Art the way he used to be is over radio. Satellite has a different dynamic, Art streaming from his Parumph house will have a different dynamic, none of which will sound nearly as good or responsive as his Coast to Coast days. Simple as that. Get used to it sounding different.

If you’d like to blame anyone, blame Art. If he hadn’t of retired, returned, retired, returned, retired, returned over and over again, you’d probably still be listening to him on Coast to Coast. Simple as that.

FYI, you don’t even need to pay for streaming Sirius / XM. I’ve been signing up for 30 day trials over and over for the last 2 years using different made up email accounts.

Streaming is just fine. I do it on numerous devices across a variety of networks with Netflix and countless commercial and non-commercial radio programming and live streaming non-commercial shows.

In fact, I’ve also consulted on building two small live streaming networks that also took live calls during the shows.

It is entirely feasible in this day and age, for not a lot of money. The problem is all with Sirius. Their network, their content, and their business model is dated as hell. I subscribed and figured I would be seeing some amazing cutting edge stuff for my money. Instead, it looked like a throw-back to the early 00’s. Pathetic.

Oh, by the way, Art didn’t “retire”. He explained what had happened over with Premier on his first show. Basically, they treated him like crap and let him be slandered like mad with no concern for his reputation and between that and other disregards, he told them to stick it.

I am so sad that this didn’t work out. After hearing Art again, I realized I had settled for so much less. There is no comparison between listening to Art as compared to others in the field. Talk radio was alive again, and now it is dead. I will grieve until Art is back again.

Oh yeah – I’m a closer Christian fubarmentalist- I already know I’m going to heaven- 1/3 of my guests are prop Christians all here so we can laugh it up at the non-believers- you can tell by my laugh !

People who NEED Jesus ? have done something – and they will say “Why ? my sins are forgiven – now PULLLEEEZE – hand over the bus stop route for K-6”

And they go RIGHT BACK to doin’ what they want

No different than the Crowley Satanists though ‘do as thou wilt’ SAME with the Christian fundamentalists- they do what they want and then say- I’m SAVED ! It don’t matter, now, pick up some more Magnum sized one while you’re out honey – and a few more benadryls.

Hi, I smoked, I’ll die of lung cancer, but you ? the world is ending for you 5 year olds ! Why ? Cause I say so – now – go buy my hand crank radio for $59.95 so you can listen in when the end of the world happens !

HE CAN REDEEM HIMSELF

Art COULD say- hey – I was wrong to sell fear, panic, and tell people the end of the world is coming – what did he call it ? The quickening ? remember that garbage to sell his book ?

Only thing quickening for YOU PAL is small cell lung cancer development stage 2.

Why do people have to bring politics into everything. Neocon? well that’s better than being an outright communist/socialist. Yeah take your so called high IQ and do something with it besides redistributing the wealth created by the work of others.

I am working nearly 100 hours a week just to keep my freaking taxes paid, I hope you communist enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Enjoy it while you can the US will go bankrupt soon and then who will keep you.

Being a neocon is better than being a communist??? NO, ITS NOT. Neocon is akin to Fascist. If you work 100 hours a week, then you are a fool. What exactly do you do? How much do you make? Or is this just more Bircher rhetoric? The US is not going bankrupt; more right wing nonsense. Move to Somalia or secede; we don’t want you here.

Wow. That Tom Miltz is really obsessed with peoples IQ.Tom,get out of your parents basement a little more often. We all know what the term IQ means. You talking about it over, and over only makes you look foolish.

Art has always been for the night people. I began listening in the early 80s. This dirt bag Tim just likes hearing himself. Bet he reads his posts out loud over and over. There is so many channels on the dial, go to another one if you don’t like Art. Better yet why don’t you just go to hell.

I was so excited when I found out Art was coming back to radio. I immediately signed up for Siriusxm. Was there on launch date, and every day after.

The entire time I was on SiriusXM, I had problems. it would just drop the station, and I would have to exit everything and re-sign back in…then it would sit there spinning while trying to sign in, and it wouldn’t let me in, this went on sometimes for up to 45 minutes. A few times, it told me my password was incorrect, but it was, after 9-10 tries it would let me in, with the very password I have always used. There were times while I was listening to the show, where sections were either skipped over, or it just cut out and then tried to catch up and was garbled. i complained numerous times. Even though I spoke to someone each and every time, the problems persisted, and they could not correct it.

A week before it all boiled over, I had ordered a radio from Amazon…. even though I was having problems with the internet streaming SiriusXM, I thought maybe a radio itself would solve the problems.

Well, then I found out Art was gone, I sent the radio back, got my money back and cancelled my subscription.

Then I saw that George Noory is on Indie 104 now…was he there before, or did he just take advantage of Art’s situation and try to get Art’s listeners?

Maybe there is room at his old radio station KNYE? Maybe he can work something out with Karen Jackson?

I agree that Sirius XM needs to reinvent itself as a listener and a subscriber I find it very difficult to pay for all the commercials that I initially left FM because of the channels that are worth listening tuho have lots of commercials when I heard Art Bell was coming on the air I thought there may be hope then they dropped channel eighty which was one of their best channels but commercial free for the most part and then to drop Art Bell I am seriously considering dropping them we do have a lot of different alternatives now. I’m sure Sirius XM has to make money like everyone else but a good product and happy customers makes for a profitable business in my opinion thanks for letting me vent

They need to give art his regular time spot which starts at midight, and is when most people want to listen to him. put moorey on a 9 spot, since he is so less interesting. Also make sure sirus has a strong signal, or people use ground phones or have back up ready. There is nothing on at more after you took off art bell and ground zero. Nothing on an night to listen to except norrey and I just turn the television on for that or listen to ipod books. The longer you dont find a solution to this problem the longer you will lose market share.

yes that is a shame that Sirius XM radio cannot address the needs off of Art Bell and dark matter, I hope Art Bell get something resolved in the near future so we can continue hearing dark matter. Also I may add but I am very disappointed with Sirius XM radio

I have listened to you since around 1985, if my memory serves me right. The one aspect of your “style” that made me a faithful listener was that you invariably gave the caller respect and allowed him to express his point as cogently as he was able to. You refrained from demeaning him with ridiculing comments, even while probably many listeners couldn’t hold in the chuckles at home.

Also, Art, many, many nights found me alone and far from my loved ones. Truthfully, due to different forms of childhood abuse, my nights were filled with terror-filled dreams reliving the past horrifying events. I am 71 years of age and I don’t think that I could have lived this long without committing suicide had I not had your show to look forward to on many of those lonely nights.

Thanks for all of your past interesting shows, your lessons in etiquette and decency and I hope that you find your place in the Sun.

I signed up for the free trial. Never had any intention of paying for radio. I wonder if 95% of us didn’t do the same. Maybe he quit because his audience quit. I’d pay maybe 30.00 a year. Art I know hates commercials. But maybe it,s just something he,s going to have to deal with if he wants back in the game. Personally I listen for the guest, not the callers who mostly are boring or liars.

I enjoyed listening to Art again and since I have a few lifetime Sirius subs it was great on those late night road trips! I streamed Dark Matter on my Verizon iphone while in Hawaii and when I’m home on dsl and cable internet lines and never had any problems. While I miss his show I must say Art seems to be getting a bit old and no longer able to handle the simplest of technologies like viewing two images on his computer screen when speaking with Richard Hoagland. Seems like an dottering old crumdugeon these days. As far as phone line issues Art was constantly restricting calls to “tasty Canadians” etc thus limiting his own caller pool. If anyone is to blame for ART Bell not being in SXM it’s Art Bell

I had hopes there would be some alternative to c2c when art bell was on xm radio. Now he has quit and there is no other show to listen to at night except c2c, and sorry I dont care for numerologist, big foot, and other similar topics. Plus no one is good a speaker as art. All I have in the day is Glenn beck and sean hannity I like but at night there is no mark levin, as they keep moving him around, or michael savage or ground zero. Guess I will have to buy another antenna, because cannot hear xm stations, except for met opera, without an antenna. Also there just doesnt seem to be the selection of channels, there used to be.

I am an avid Art Bell fan. What Art brought to the table in his overnight radio programs, was a bright, articulate, intelligent, and highly curious individual who sought the truth in many curiosities not normally covered in any depth by the traditional media! I found his programs to be, not only interesting, but, an an adventure into the places where few would venture. Art has been an inspiration to many of his loyal listeners! I am extremely sad to hear of his continuous misfortunes trying to do that which he loves….Talk Radio! Art is a treasure, to be appreciated, respected, and encouraged! I know all Art’s fans will continue to support him in whatever he chooses to do. I only hope his “non-compete clause” in his contract does not prohibit him from doing that.

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